Limitations exhibited by some software products include the lack of interactive search tools adapted for non-expert users, and the lack of interactive search tool that fully explore and exploit the full capabilities of a CD-ROM database.
An example of some of the above limitations is demonstrated by the Grolier CD-ROM based encyclopaedia. The Grolier product provides an interactive search tool that allows for the access of textual data through four search modes. The first search mode involves a Browse capability where the user types in the first few letters or words of a particular topic and the software then displays a menu listing the article titles that are closest in the alphabet to the search terms. The user can then scan forward or backward through the alphabetically arranged titles until an article of interest is found.
The second search mode is known as the Browse Word Index. In this mode, the user selects the word occurring in any of the articles in the display. The software then sorts entries in descending order of the words, based upon the number of times that the specific search word occurs in the text. A third search mode involves expanding the Browse Word Index Mode to combine Boolean operators such as xe2x80x9candxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9corxe2x80x9d, or xe2x80x9cnotxe2x80x9d, and the fourth search mode involves linking terms appearing in the articles that are designated by capital letters. In particular, by depressing the RETURN key while the cursor is located on the linking word, the search software will retrieve a menu of article titles centered on that linked term.
However, the Grolier system only accesses textual data by means of text-based entry paths. No facility exists for taking advantage of the CD-ROM""s capacity to store pictures, sound, or video information.
This shortcoming of a full text/graphics interactive search system is not overcome by those products that are directed to searching graphical databases. That is because the graphics oriented systems fail to either include any text-based entry paths or text entry paths that would enable the user to employ the full capacity of the CD-ROM.
For example, The World GeoGraph computer program provides a graphics based atlas exploration program where a user can search through multiple layers (each layer having a greater degree of detail) of an on-screen map. The GeoGraph database is also integrated with information relating to each country of the atlas and the search program includes a feature for using plain English selection rules contained in dialogs to search and sort information pertaining to the maps. The World GeoGraph program, however, pertains to a textual search of only that textual information that explains the graphical database and the text information is retrieved only by means of a single entry path. World GeoGraph thereby does not appear to provide full textual search capabilities of an entire textual database that is distinct from the graphical database.
In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that a need still exists for a database search system that retrieves multimedia information in a flexible, user friendly system. It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a search system in which a multimedia database consisting of text, picture, audio and animated data is searched through multiple graphical and textual entry paths.
It is a further object of the invention to provide for a search system wherein both the textual and graphical entry paths are interactive.
It is yet an additional object of the invention to provide for a search system where the textual and graphical entry paths are interrelated such that textual information is fully accessible from the graphical entry paths and graphical information is fully accessible from the textual entry paths.
It is still an additional object of the invention to provide for a search system where the graphical and textual information are contained in a single database and the information consists of words, phrases, numbers, letters, maps, charts, pictures, moving images, animations and audio information.
It is yet an additional object of the invention to provide for a search system which is stored on a CD-ROM disc.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide for a search system which is adapted to operate on a micro-computer in either a stand-alone capacity or on a network.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide for a search system where one of the graphical entry paths involves interactively narrowing a search of graphical images to a point in which related textual information about each image becomes accessible.
It is still an additional object of the invention to provide for a search system wherein the textual search can be narrowed to a point where graphical information related to the uncovered text is accessible.
It is a further object of the invention to provide for a search system where both textual and graphical entry paths include functions which enhance the efficacy of the searches and the accessibility of information retrieved from those searches.
It is also an object of the invention to provide for a search system in which an idea search entry path is provided which can retrieve textual information stored in stem indexes in the database.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide for a search system that compares misspelled search terms with definitions stored in a database dictionary. The search system then automatically suggests alternative spellings to the user.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide for a new list function if the initial information uncovered by the search does not meet the user""s expectation. The system will then suggest alternative terms for ambiguous search terms.
It is a further object of the invention to provide for a search system where phrases, paragraphs or sentences can be entered by the user to be searched. The entered search terms are then compared to a list of stop words, and those stop words are then automatically eliminated, such that a search is performed only on particular terms occurring in the phrases, sentences or paragraphs.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide for a search system whereby phrases can be searched together rather than being broken up as a group of individual searches for key terms.
It is yet an additional object of the invention to provide for a system whereby the graphical and textual information comprise an encyclopaedia. The textual information of the database also includes a dictionary, a thesaurus, a glossary and a stored fact index.
It is still another object of the invention to provide for a search system where one of the textual entry paths consists of a title finder search.
It is a further object of the invention to provide for a search system where one of the textual entry paths consists of a topic tree program that divides all textual information into topics, sub-topics and so on, in order to assist a user in finding an article of interest.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide for a picture explorer entry path which enables a user to find pictures and then retrieve related textual information for each picture.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide for a search system where one of the textual entry paths consists of a history timeline search program.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide for a search system wherein a portion of the graphical and textual entry paths consist of a world atlas entry path.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide for a textual entry path which highlights particular feature articles. This entry path takes a user directly to one of a plurality of articles located in the search system.
It is also an object of the invention to provide for a search system where one of the textual entry paths consists of a researcher""s assistant program.
Briefly described, these and other objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a search system for retrieving information comprising multiple textual entry paths for searching textual information and multiple graphical entry paths for searching graphical information such that the search system retrieves information through both the textual and graphical entry paths.
The textual and graphical entry paths are made up of eight separate and interrelated entry paths such that textual information is fully accessible from the graphical entry paths and graphical information is fully accessible from the textual entry paths. A first textual entry path consists of the Idea Search entry path which retrieves textual information stored in the stem indexes in the database. Each stem is identified with a root and stems are linked to each root so that they represent all related endings for that root. Each stem is related to units of textual information in the database. Stem terms are then concatenated by the Idea Search in order to map the stems to the same idea. The concatenation step involves linking the stems together based on grammatical linkages and based on thesaurus linkages. Information retrieved from the Idea Search is then ranked based upon two coefficients: exhaustivity and exclusivity. Exhaustivity measures the number of occurrences for that stem in the database. The exclusivity coefficient measures the degree to which that stem is related to the idea. The exclusivity and exhaustivity coefficients are then calculated, combined with other stems and calculated for each article. A list of articles is then ranked based upon the coefficients in order of relevance to the search terms.
Another textual entry path consists of a title finder search. The title finder assists the user in uncovering articles stored in the search system. Those article titles are uncovered either by moving through an alphabetical list of article titles until a desired title is located, clicking a letter tab for the first letter of the subject so that a list of article titles having the first letter is provided, or typing in the article title name such that the page listing the article title is then displayed.
One of the graphical entry paths consists of the picture explorer which enables the user to find pictures and then retrieve related textual information for the picture. In operation, the picture explorer is provided in three modes: a picture tour mode where pictures are presented in random order, a picture finder mode which allows the user to select from a list of alphabetically ordered pictured captions, or a picture search mode where the user searches picture captions by entering search terms and having the computer search those entered search terms. A further textual entry path consists of a history timeline program. The timeline displays events on a graphical timeline in order that a user may select an event and retrieve further information about that event. The timeline is divided into a year interval bar, major event boxes, and a president""s bar. Any one of the elements on the bars are activated by a user in order to retrieve related textual information.
A further entry path which is graphically and textually based is t he world atlas entry path. This program enables the user to s e arch maps of an atlas. The atlas can be searched by having the user either identify a place name, or by scanning, or rotating the atlas. If the place name search is implemented, the program draws a corresponding map around the specified place. The atlas can then be viewed at multiple levels of increasing detail for any part of the atlas. Textual information related to any place labeled on the atlas is then retrieved.
A further entry path consists of the researcher""s assistant program. The researcher""s assistant contains subject matter categories divided into topics and the topics are then divided into assignments. Each assignment is then ranked by its level of difficulty.
Finally, the invention includes a textual entry path which highlights particular feature articles. This entry path is designed to take the user directly to one of a plurality of articles located in the database.
With these and other objects, advantages and features of the invention that may become hereinafter apparent, the nature of the invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, the appended claims and to the several drawings attached herein.